


Unnerved

by somethin_random (wordsaremyfaith)



Category: The OC
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-30
Updated: 2005-01-30
Packaged: 2018-04-16 05:38:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4613274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsaremyfaith/pseuds/somethin_random
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Takes place around episode 2x01 (The Distance).</p>
    </blockquote>





	Unnerved

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place around episode 2x01 (The Distance).

When Seth says, “I still don’t understand why you two couldn’t just raise the baby in the pool house,” it means _Why did you leave me?_

When he says, “Yeah, my summer was all right,” it means _I spent the whole time trying not think about you._

When he says, “I just couldn’t stay there, you know? It was too… stifling,” it means _Newport isn’t home without you._

When he says, “I left Summer a note,” it means _Even the girl of my dreams wasn’t enough to make me stay._

When he says, “I missed you, dude,” it means _I love you. Don’t ever leave me again._

Ryan can read Seth; he always could. Seth doesn’t say what he means, not in words, anyway. He says it in facial expressions and hand gestures and expects you to read between the lines.

Most people take Seth at face value. Ryan reads between the lines.

He can always tell exactly what Seth is thinking, feeling, wanting. Seth is like an open book that you just have to be able to decode. Ryan gets that.

Seth wants him. It’s flattering and scary and… sweet. Somehow, Ryan isn’t sure how, he finds himself wanting Seth back. Which unnerves him, because Seth is a guy. A sports-hating, comic-reading guy who talks to a plastic horse, perhaps, but still a guy. Which makes the whole thing a little… odd.

For Ryan. He’s sure it’s okay for some people. But Ryan’s not… he’s never… but Seth…

This is what Seth does to him. Makes him unable to complete a sentence, even just inside his head. Turns him into a stuttering fool. But isn’t that the mark of a new love?

 _Love._ Ryan’s never thought about it in those terms. Attraction, sure, but love? He doesn’t know.

He needs to get Seth out of Portland, that he does know. Away from Luke’s dad and Gus, away from an open, accepting community, and maybe this will all die down. His feelings. Seth’s truths, right there for anyone to see. Maybe they can go back to Newport together and not be RyanandSeth, who are meant to be together, but just Ryan. And. Seth. Who are best friends, almost like brothers, who hang out in the pool house discussing the ladies.

Sure. And maybe Marissa and Summer will forgive them and won’t have moved on, and maybe Ryan will still want to be with Marissa, and Seth will still want to be with Summer, and everything will be exactly like it was last year and they’ll all walk off into the sunset holding hands.

Right.

So Ryan pretends. Pretends that he can’t tell what Seth wants, why Seth left. Lets Seth hope in vain, and takes him home.

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://15minuteficlets.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://15minuteficlets.livejournal.com/)**15minuteficlets** ' Word 91 - (Translation).


End file.
